[Dean's World] Dave Schuler: Is Iran Making War On Our Soldiers in Iraq?

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by Dave Schuler:
Is Iran Making War On Our Soldiers in Iraq?
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1171139978.shtml


   Jim Henley of [1]Unqualified Offers has proposed that Congress should
   investigate the Bush Administration's claims that Iran is providing
   direct support of the Iraqi insurgency. If Congress can then verify
   the Administration's claims independently, it should steadfastly back
   additional action:

     If Congress can validate the Administrationâs case, the US should
     then go âthe full Adlai Stevenson.â The US operates in Iraq under a
     security-council mandate ([2]pdf). Iranian intelligence does not.
     Therefore, the UN Security Council is the appropriate first venue
     to seek a remedy. This will mean the US government will need to
     have a more impressive case than Colin Powellâs famous travesty of
     February 2003. It will need to stand up to independent scrutiny.

     After all that, Congress should entertain a Presidential request
     for a declaration of war, if the Administration determines that it
     wants to attack Iran in response to demonstrated Iranian aid to
     Iraqi forces in conflict with American troops. As always, there may
     be good reasons not to resort to war even in the face of covert
     support for attacks on US troops deployed abroad. Thatâs a
     political determination to be made. But a unilateral executive
     decision to attack Iran on the basis of unaudited claims merits
     nothing but opposition. So does a Congressional decision to shirk
     its responisibilities under the constitution by taking the word of
     another branch of government, especially in light of the sad
     history of the last five years.

   Hat tip: [3]James Joyner

   IMO this suggestion is so sensible and so timely that I can't imagine
   Congress proceeding along these lines. It's a lot more fun making hay
   at the expense of your political opponents than proving something that
   alienates your base.

   The growing tension between the United States and Iran is, perhaps,
   the gravest issue ( facing the country right at this moment with the
   possible exception of Iraq and, if Iran is indeed supplying the
   insurgency the issues are interconnected. It won't wait for political
   posturing. It's signficantly more urgent than any of the issues
   tackled in the incoming Congress's âFirst 100 Hourâ push.

   If the Administration's claims are found to be false, we can hope that
   the investigation would discourage the Administration from ratcheting
   up tensions.

   If the Administration's claims are found to be true, the support of
   the Congress would strengthen the President's hand in dealing with an
   enemy whose activities is killing American soldier's in the field and
   further destabilizing an already teetering Iraq. That would send a
   powerful message to Iran's leaders and would provide more leverage in
   dealing with Iran than keeping our cards to our vests on what Iran is
   doing with respect to Iraq possibly could.

   If the Administration's claims are found to be unprovable, at least
   the Congress would, at last, have exercised its Constitutional
   responsibilities.

   I've been quite consistent in my views on Iran: I don't believe that
   military action against Iran is in our national interests. But I do
   believe that some action is long past due and we should act on the
   basis of national consensus in matters of foreign policy. Both the
   Congress and the President are the agents of that consensus.

   Vigorous and decisive action by Congress in this matter is urgently
   needed. It would be much better than the street theater we've been
   seeing from it for the last few weeks. Or years.

   I'll be writing my Representative (Rahm Emmanuel) and my Senators
   (Durbin and Obama) on this matter and I urge you to do the same.

   Cross-posted at [4]The Glittering Eye

References

   1. http://highclearing.com/index.php/archives/2007/02/10/5928
   2. http://se2.isn.ch/serviceengine/FileContent?serviceID=PRIA&fileid=4BFDDFFD-C51C-3DE2-AD77-48C61D26462E&lng=en
   3. http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/02/congressional_hearings_on_iran_lethal_support_claims/
   4. http://theglitteringeye.com/?p=2671